


Riddler's Game

by Gottaread2



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Angst, Boys In Love, Enemies to Lovers, Fix-It, Fluffy Ending, Happy Ending, Happy Murder Family, Kissing, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-09
Updated: 2018-04-09
Packaged: 2019-04-20 06:34:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 4,704
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14255070
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gottaread2/pseuds/Gottaread2
Summary: The story begins starting from the events of season 4 episode 4 and is told from mainly Edward's point of view. After feeling belittled and spared by Oswald at the Iceberg Lounge, Edward begins planning ways to get Oswald's attention and prove he is still worth it.





	1. Who am I?

**Author's Note:**

> This is actually the first fanfiction I ever wrote. I posted this a long time ago on wattpad before I got my account here on ao3. I forgot to ever post here and then it just never felt like the right time for it. But anyways here it is now so I can just rewind and imagine this happened instead lol.

For Edward, it all started that moment in the Iceberg Lounge. He had come to kill the Penguin for freezing him. For putting him on display, as if the humiliation of defeat had not been enough. Now the whole of Gotham knew about it. He stormed in (his brain not functioning very well at the time, he had not realized what a bad idea this was).  
  
“Oswald! ... I waited for you… AGAIN! And you didn’t show AGAIN! You coward. Where are you?!”  
  
“Here!”  
  
Edward whirled to see the man he despised walk into the room from behind him. That voice grated on his nerves. He couldn’t stand the way Oswald sounded so smug, like he couldn’t be beat.  
  
“And I may be many things, but I am not a coward… Your riddles suck.”  
  
The words cut Ed like a knife. Oswald repeated the riddle and Edward could hear how right he was. The riddle did suck. He couldn’t stand it.  
  
“That could mean anything!” Oswald finished.  
  
Edward tried to defend himself, explaining, “laying down, lying down… As in dead!”  
  
Oswald laughed! The nerve! It infuriated Ed to hear it, further wounding his already damaged ego.  
  
“The answer was Stoker Cemetery. Clearly. Only an idiot wouldn’t see that.” His attempt at an insult, but Oswald only seemed more amused as he came to his own conclusion.  
  
“You’re not smart!” Oswald’s smile widened.  
  
“I am too smart!” Ed pouted. How could Oswald say such a thing to him? Even after everything they had done to each other, Edward had always sought out Oswald’s approval and recognition. To hear him say this was breaking him. The two continued bickering back and forth until finally fed up, Edward raised his gun pointing it at Oswald. But he couldn’t pull the trigger. Why?  
  
“Oswald, I’m going to shoot you!”  
  
“Yes. You might shoot me. Kill me. But only He can get revenge on me.”  
  
Was that why? He was no longer the same man, and this meant he couldn’t get revenge? Did he still need revenge?  
  
His confusion grew as Oswald continued his speech,  
“But he’s gone. You’re just Ed Nygma. And not even Ed Nygma because Ed Nygma would have noticed something.”  
  
“What?” Ed asked, still trying to puzzle out why he hadn’t already killed Oswald.  
  
“Doesn’t it feel kind of chilly in here?”  
  
What?  
  
“Ow!” Edward yelped dropping the gun and falling to his knees. His hand had just been hit by a blast from Fries’ ice ray. This couldn’t be happening. Edward watched in horror as Oswald hobbled over to stand beside Fries.  
  
“I’m going to put you on ice. Again.”  
  
Ed’s mind raced. No not again. His body shook uncontrollably.  
  
“You want the same pose or something else.” Fries asked him.  
  
“No wait, please.” Ed begged raising his hands defensively.  
  
“Got it. Same pose.” Fries readied the ray gun.  
  
“NO!” Edward screamed in desperation. Feeling completely defeated. In a quieter tone, he continued, “Okay Oswald… I’m not the Riddler…”  
  
He looked over at Fries, “Do it.”  
  
“Stop.” Oswald’s voice was soft.  
Ed looked up into Oswald’s eyes. There was a softness there that hadn’t been before. Had Oswald changed his mind? Would he really spare his life? Did he still love him?  
  
“I’ve changed my mind. I’m not going to freeze you.”  
  
Ed stared in disbelief at what he was hearing as Oswald approached. His heart lifted with hope.  
  
“I’d only be freezing Ed Nygma. And who cares about that? No, better revenge is having you live knowing you are not Him and you never will be again.”  
  
His heart broke a little. So, it was only for revenge? To hear it hurt Edward, but the expression on Oswald’s face conflicted with the words coming from his mouth. The expression seemed to share the same pain Ed himself felt. Like they had both lost something.  
  
“Goodbye, Ed.”  
  
Oswald turned his back and walked away. Ed thought maybe Oswald was right that day at the docks. That they needed each other. Maybe he really didn’t exist without the Penguin as his hallucination had suggested. He felt so lost without Oswald.  
  
“Who am I?”  
  
It was the beginning.  
   
...  
  
Ed became somewhat obsessed with the Penguin. That was after all the reason behind his little show at the Narrows. He wanted Oswald’s attention so desperately. No needed it. But the show hadn’t been enough. He had hoped Oswald would come witness it in person. See the genius of his mockery. Finally, acknowledge his intellect once more. But Oswald had only sent the Sirens and later Firefly to do his dirty work. The message felt clear to him: Ed wasn’t worth his time.  
  
If Oswald wouldn’t come to him then he would go to Oswald. But how? He couldn’t do like last time and just barge into the lounge waving a gun. He may not have regained his prior intelligence, but even he was not that stupid. He wasn’t Grundy after all. He needed a plan. If only he knew of some weakness of Oswald’s that he could exploit, then maybe there would be a way. There had been a time when Edward himself was that weakness, but he didn’t think he could count on that again. He had been lucky not to be frozen again last time. He wouldn’t risk it again, especially after aggravating the penguin with his little show. He would have to get to know Oswald again. Follow him, watch him, and try to learn of another weakness he could exploit. Everyone had a weakness and he was determined to learn Oswald’s.


	2. Oswald's Weakness

He began his surveillance of the Iceberg Lounge the following day, leaving Grundy behind to continue the fights without him. He still needed money to fix his brain and Grundy stood out too much to go under cover. Grundy had protested at first, but with reassurance that Ed would come back his friend had finally relented.  
  
Ed followed Oswald throughout his daily routine. They went to GCPD headquarters, around the city to threaten various gangs, and back to the lounge where the Penguin was meeting with a woman. This last encounter caught Ed’s attention. His stomach formed a hot knot of jealousy. Jealousy? Yes, he realized he felt jealous of the woman and the way Oswald looked at her. There was obviously some affection, and even more, respect, in the way Oswald gazed at her. Could she be his weakness? No. Despite these feelings, Edward saw something more, something very familiar to him, in Oswald’s expression. Distrust. If he tried to use this woman, Oswald would only think the woman was plotting with Ed and wouldn’t hesitate to kill them both.  
  
The two got into a car and Ed entered his own to follow after them. They drove on for some time and Edward was deeply surprised when they finally got to their destination. An orphanage. Well, he wouldn’t find any weakness of Oswald’s here. Oswald hated children. Edward recalled the trip to the school when Oswald had still been mayor. The look of disgust on Oswald’s face when he’d been forced to interact. Edward was just about to drive away, feeling the day to be a bust, when… IMPOSSIBLE!  
  
A small boy with curling brown hair ran across the driveway and threw his small arms around Oswald’s knees. And the Penguin didn’t push him away! Rather, he stooped down to return the child’s hug and patted the boy’s head. Ed couldn’t believe what he was seeing. But he’d found the weakness. It was going to be all too easy to abduct this child. No one would notice one little orphan missing. He’d leave a note behind, so Oswald would know who had done it. He would finally have Oswald’s attention! And insurance to protect him from Oswald’s wrath.  
  
...  
  
He had the boy. The two waited at the docks for Oswald to arrive. Ed knew he would come and the thought of seeing Oswald again, of speaking with him again, sent a thrill through him.  
  
Bang! He hadn’t seen it coming. Hadn’t seen Oswald. The bullet flew passed barely missing his head.  
  
“Damn. Missed.” Oswald glared at Ed with eyes colder than the ones that had stared through the bars of the cage when they were captured by the court of owls. There was no doubt it hadn’t been a warning shot. Oswald had meant to kill him.  
  
“You shouldn’t try that again if you want this boy kept alive.” Edward growled, his own anger rising. Oswald cared so much for this kid that he would kill Edward without even a second of hesitation?  
  
“What do you want, Ed?”  
  
What did he want? All he’d wanted was Oswald’s attention and now he had it. What was he supposed to do next? The words came out of his mouth before he had time to even be conscious of them.  
  
“I want you to suffer as I suffered!”  
  
No that wasn’t right. He didn’t want to say that. He realized he was no longer in control of his body. It was the other Ed who had said this. Edward hadn’t realized his other self had survived the ice.  
  
“FINE!” Oswald shouts, “But let the boy go! He has nothing to do with this!”  
  
“He has everything to do with this.” Other Ed hisses, “The moment you started to care for the little brat, he became involved.”  
  
Oswald changed tactics his expression now filled with fear instead of rage.  
  
“Don’t do this.” Oswald whispers, “PLEASE.”  
  
Other Ed looks down at the boy thoughtfully, a plan coming to mind for how to resolve the situation.  
“Can you swim?” he asks the boy.  
  
The boy looks at him with wide eyes shaking his head no.  
  
“Good.”  
  
Other Ed shoves the boy off the docks and into the water. Oswald rushes forward with as much speed as he can muster on his injured leg. He dives in after the boy. This is Edward’s chance to make his exit. Other Ed relinquishes control over their body.  
  
“You’re welcome.” He whispers in Ed’s ear.  
Edward runs, eager to be as far away as possible before the Penguin re-emerges from the water. As he runs, he grins. This was what he wanted. What a rush!  
  
...  
  
With Lee’s help, Ed found that his mind was sharpening with each passing day. He wasn’t yet well enough to competently plan a plot involving riddles, but maybe a simple heist would do this time. He’d been playing these games with Oswald ever since his kidnapping of the orphan boy. He couldn’t be expected to always come up with something that daring. He just needed to keep Oswald on his toes. Mmmmh… on his toes… tilting his head up to reach Edwards lips. Ed shook away the daydream. When had he started to think of Oswald this way? Aside from that time he’d hallucinated Oswald serenading him. Now that image was playing in his mind. He needed to focus. His plan was this: he would sneak into the Iceberg Lounge and personally steal something from Oswald. He wasn’t sure what, but it didn’t really matter. The object was beside the point. All that mattered was Oswald’s attention. The thought of seeing Oswald again finally focused his mind and he got to work plotting out each step of his plan.


	3. Christmas Heist

Ed had gotten into the Iceberg Lounge easier than he thought he would. He looked around the room admiring all the green. It had surprised him a little to see Oswald had decorated for Christmas. Definitely, an improvement he decided. This place could use more green if anyone had asked him.  
  
He began to wonder at the lack of security or any real resistance to his entry. A single locked door was well below his expectations for Oswald. A trap maybe? Had Oswald known he would come? How? The thought of Oswald plotting against him made the experience all the more thrilling. Oswald was finally engaging!  
  
Edward made his way to the back finding the door for Oswald’s office. He turned the knob. It was unlocked. He let the door slowly swing open peering in from the threshold. He could see no one, no traps. He took one wary step forward. Nothing. He walked in fully, eyes sweeping the office in search of some prize. It had to be something Oswald would notice. It had to be personal.  
  
“I knew you’d come.” Came Oswald’s agitated voice from behind him, “So what’s the plan this time? Bomb in my desk? Stealing my cane? Or maybe this time you just want to rip my heart out? Wait you already did that one.”  
  
“A heist.” Ed answered.  
  
“Well too bad for you. I’ve seen through you this time and you’ll be leaving empty handed.”  
  
It was then that Edward noticed the glint of the gun in Oswald’s hand. He, himself, was weaponless. He hadn’t thought Oswald would be prepared for him. How had he found out? His mind raced trying to see a way out of this situation. Oswald lifted the gun, pointing it at Ed. The motion and sound snapped Ed’s eyes back up to Oswald and something hanging above his head. A plan formed in Ed’s mind. He took a slow step forward.  
  
“Maybe you’re right, Oswald. Then I’ll just go.”  
  
“You’re not going anywhere.” Oswald growled.  
  
“Didn’t you just say I was leaving empty hand.” Edward smiled smugly taking another step.  
  
“Yeah. The bullet won’t be in your hands. It’ll be in your HEAD. What are you doing?”  
  
Ed had taken the last step closing the distance between himself and Oswald. He looked into Oswald’s eyes and pointed up.  
  
“Mistletoe.” He explained.  
  
He leaned down grabbing Oswald’s face in his hands. He drew him into the kiss long and deep. Oswald didn’t struggle. He melted into it allowing the other man’s lips and tongue to move over his. When Ed broke away, Oswald just gaped at him, breathless. Before he could come to his senses, Edward had wrestled the gun out of his hand.  
  
“Guess I’m not leaving empty handed after all.” Edward laughed. He took a bow and swept out of the room leaving behind a bewildered, red Oswald.


	4. Pinky Promise

Edward finally felt ready to set his best plan into motion. His riddles were back, and he intended to use them for his last game with Oswald. He approached the door, first of many riddles carefully concealed in the green envelope in his hand. He knocked at the door of the manor, his old home, knowing Oswald would not answer. His plan depended on it. Sure enough when the door swung open, it was the small orphan boy who answered. He must live with Oswald now, Edward noted. It didn’t surprise him, not after the last event at the docks.  
  
As soon as the boy recognized Ed his eyes grew wide and he tried to shut the door. Ed stopped it, pushing it open with a single hand and trying his most reassuring smile.  
  
“Hi. I’m not here to hurt you. I… just have a message for Oswald. Could you give this to him?” he spoke softly trying to ease the boy’s fear and extending the envelope out to him.  
  
The boy glared at him then, refusing to take the envelope and shaking his head no.  
  
“Please. It’s important. I mean no ill will towards Oswald and my old friend will want you to give this to him.” Ed tried again wanting to emphasize that he came with friendly intentions.  
  
At the word “friend,” the child snatched the envelope from Edwards hand and threw it the ground stamping it with a furious foot. And he doesn’t stop. He stomped it over and over looking for all the world like Oswald in the midst of a tantrum.  
  
“Stop! STOP!” exclaimed a shocked Edward. Where did that reaction come from?  
  
The boy stopped and Edward stooped to pick up the crinkled, dirty envelope.  
  
“What are you so upset about? What did I say?”  
  
The boy wrote something quickly on the pad of paper hanging from his neck, then turned it to face Ed.  
  
“Friend?” Edward read aloud feeling utterly confused.  
  
The boy turned the page and scribbled something new onto the paper. He turned it back to Edward. He looked at the image of two figures held in an embrace with smiling faces. Then he saw the knives held by the figures, the way the knives were positioned behind the other figure’s back. The meaning is clear. To the boy, “friends” equal backstabbers. He was afraid that Ed will try to hurt Oswald.  
  
“The truth is, with Oswald, I want to be more than friends. I won’t hurt him.”  
  
The boy still looked unconvinced, glaring suspiciously at Edward. Edward kneeled, bringing himself to eye level with the boy. He extended his hand out to the boy lifting his pinky.  
  
“Let’s make a deal. Its called a pinky promise.” Ed says, “I promise not to hurt Oswald. If I’m lying, then you get to cut off my finger. Deal?”  
  
The boy grinned wickedly and linked pinkies with Edward. Ed smiled. He sees why Oswald is so fond of the boy.


	5. Last Game

The chase had finally ended here. At the docks, again. It seemed to Edward most appropriate, fate even, that everything must always end here, in the exact same spot where their grudge began. Oswald smiled smugly. He knew it was his victory this time. He’d solved each of Nygma’s ridiculous riddles hunting him down until here they stood with Oswald’s gun aimed at the defenseless Riddler’s heart. He had no weapon and no way out, and this time, Oswald would end him for good. He’d been soft last time. No more ice, no more second chances.  
  
“Any last words?” Oswald chuckled darkly.  
  
He didn’t really care what Edward might say but he was enjoying this moment. He didn’t mind dragging it out a little and savoring this victory over his most hated foe. At least that’s what he told himself. Edward remained silent for a time shifting nervously before finally speaking.  
  
“There is something I must confess actually.” He replied, having never felt more nervous in his life. He hoped this would work. That his careful planning hadn’t lured Oswald here just to result in his own death at the man’s hands.  
  
The statement piqued Oswald’s curiosity. A confession? What could there possibly be that Oswald didn’t already know about. Oswald knew Ed. Still he was curious. He waited for Edward to continue. The man looked down uncomfortably trying to think how to begin.  
  
“Out with it then” Oswald huffed impatiently. The thought that there might be something he didn’t know about Edward annoyed him greatly. But why should he care about Nygma’s secrets anymore?  
  
“The truth is, Oswald, I haven’t been serious about this for a long time now. Sure, I’d antagonize you, get you riled up. I kind of enjoyed the game. Surely you’ve noticed?”  
  
Oswald considered this feeling somewhat confused. What was Ed implying? Did he really think that he’d be able to trick him that easily into sparing his life? By claiming that he, himself, wasn’t serious about killing Oswald? Well, it wouldn't work! But, thinking more deeply, he almost admitted to himself that he had not actually felt threatened by Ed in a long time. Was this really just a game to him? What did it matter? Oswald had won, and he was done playing Riddler’s games!

“Well if that’s all you have to say, goodbye Ed…”  
  
“WAIT!” Edward raised his hands defensively, “Wait. That’s not everything.”

Oswald shifted impatiently, waiting for the man to continue. Edward swallowed hard. This would be so much easier if only Oswald would stop pointing that gun at him.

“I have something you need to see before you shoot me.” As Edward said this, his hands moved to reach for something in his pocket.

“HANDS WHERE I CAN SEE THEM, NYGMA!” Oswald spat enraged.

Ed froze. He sighed in frustration. This wasn’t going how he’d wanted at all. Oswald was really making this difficult.

“If you won’t allow me, then would you mind taking it from my pocket yourself?” he tried. He had hoped to do this properly and give it himself, but he wasn’t ready to take a bullet in order to do so. He was risking enough already.

“No!” That same tone of voice he’d had when Edward had insisted he be called “Riddler.”

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN ‘NO?’ I have to show you!” He shouted desperately. He was losing control of the situation. This wasn’t at all like he’d planned. Fear gripped his heart. He trembled.

“This is just some sort of trap!” Oswald accused, “You just want me to get close enough, so you can take the gun and shoot me! I can find out what you wanted to show after I kill you. Your tricks won’t work on me anymore Riddler!”

Ed flinched at the use of the name. As much as he’d wanted to hear, to be acknowledged, at one time, now it just meant that Oswald truly saw him as his enemy. Maybe this was all too soon. Maybe this was all a mistake. He should have known Oswald wouldn’t notice. He’d never noticed it before. Before Isabella.

“Please, Oswald, let me show you. You have to know. You have to see it before I die!” Edward pleaded.

Oswald hesitated, gun shaking in his trembling hands. Edwards pleas still had such an effect on him and he hated himself for it. Whatever Ed might be trying to show him, Oswald still had the upper hand. He was sure he could shoot Ed before anything Ed might pull from his pocket became a threat. Maybe it couldn’t hurt to allow this, he reasoned with himself.

“Fine.” He finally relented, “but don’t think your little trick will save you.”

Ed let out the breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding all this time.

“Maybe this will change your mind.” As he said this, he once more began reaching for his pocket. He looked into Oswald’s eyes watching for any sign and moving slowly. No sudden movements. The little bird was already jumpy. His hand came to rest on the tiny box nestled in his coat. He withdrew it slowly as he approached Oswald, knees shaking slightly. His fear was not merely a result of the gun still pointed at his chest, though it didn’t help. He dropped to one knee before the smaller man and lifted the box up to Oswald.

Oswald’s eyes grew widened in surprise and an audible gasp escaped his round mouth. This couldn’t be what it appeared! A box like this, Edward kneeling, the look in his eyes! He’d imagined it countless times, but IT COULDN’T BE!?

“What is that?” Oswald’s voice quivered, and his hands shook.

“What symbolizes eternity, has no beginning nor end, and binds two together while only touching one?”  
  
“This isn’t fair. It was my turn to kill you.” Oswald laughs, feeling giddy and incredulous.  
  
“Is that what you really want?” Ed croons opening the tiny box revealing the ring to Oswald. Two bands entwined around each other form the shape of the ring. One of the bands is engraved with “worthless to one” as the other reads “priceless to two.” The ring glints beautifully in the moonlight and Oswald is overcome with emotion.  
  
“I love you. Will you marry me, Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot?”  
  
The gun tumbles from Oswald’s hands as he throws his arms around Ed.  
  
“Yes!” he gasps, tears streaming freely down his cheeks.  
  
Edward laughs, relieved. His plan had worked! Their feud would finally be over. He had finally admitted his feelings. He pulled away slightly, so he could look at Oswald. Both men were grinning from ear to ear. Oswald’s cheeks reddened as Edward stared into his eyes. Ed reached up to stroke his cheek gently with one hand. He let his hand travel down Oswald’s face and come to rest under his chin. He tilted the smaller man’s face up and leaned in placing a gentle kiss on the bird’s lips.


	6. Epilogue

“So… the docks? Not exactly a romantic setting, Ed.” Oswald commented as they walked back to the car he'd arrived in.

As they walked, he leaned into the taller man, taking Edward’s hand and intertwining his fingers with Ed's. He was still feeling giddy from the proposal, light as a feather in fact, and hadn't meant for his words to be taken so seriously. Edward halted midstep with a pouty expression on his face.

“I chose this place for a reason Oswald. I didn't want… there was so much bad and wrong… if it could all be replaced, covered.” Edward knew he wasn't making sense and tried again, “At one time… this place had been our ending. Now…now it’s where we begin. By coming full circle maybe…” Ed sighed, “We can leave the hurt behind us. A place where that merges beginning and end. It seemed the perfect place for a ring.”

“Beautiful.” Oswald sighed.

“What?” Ed asked to be sure he'd heard correctly.

“I love your mind, the way you think. It’s lovely Ed.”

Edward blushed, a deep crimson coloring his cheeks. No one had ever told him that before. His way of thinking had always kept him apart from others, unable to connect with them no matter how he tried. Now, he'd finally found someone who accepted and understood him. He'd never expected his thoughts to be considered beautiful as well. It was beyond the capability of expression through words to describe the way he felt hearing this. Instead, he wrapped his arms around his fiancé and held him in a tight embrace. They remained that way for several minutes before Ed finally released Oswald and resumed their walking, unable to stop gazing down lovingly at the smaller man.

“Where are we going?” Edward asked as they got in the car. He already knew the answer. He just wanted to hear Oswald say it.  
  
"Home."  
  
...   
  


One night, not long after these events taking place, a blood curdling scream was heard throughout the manor.

“NO!” Oswald let out a horrified shriek and twisted violently beneath the sheets. Edward looked down at his beloved in alarm, gently shaking Oswald's shoulders to wake him.

“Wake up. It’s just a dream.” Edward whispered soothingly, brushing Oswald's hair back.

Oswald opened his eyes and blinked away the tears that had formed in them. He buried his face in Edward’s chest and wrapped his arms tightly around him.

“I thought I lost you again.”

“Just a dream.” Edward repeated holding Oswald close.

Suddenly, the door flew open. Martin ran into the room, a look of fury on his small face. Edward saw the blade grasped tightly in the boy's small fist. He'd come for more than a pinky, Edward thought.

“It’s not what you think,” Edward explained in a rush, “He was just having a nightmare.”

Martin placed the knife on a table, his expression changing to one of worried concern. Edward watched the boy walk over to the bed and climb in beside Oswald. The boy snuggled in and Oswald rolled onto his back so that he could place an arm around Martin while still holding Ed with the other.

Edward watched as the other two eventually drifted back to sleep. The boy really did love Oswald, Ed mused. He'd never expected Oswald to be good with children. Edward, himself, still had a ways to go in earning Martin's trust, but he already felt an attachment for the child. He loved being part of this strange little family. They were far from the normal life he might have had with Isabella, though maybe it had all been just a fantasy any way. Ed wasn’t normal. How long could such a relationship last. He’d never forget her, even though he’d forgiven Oswald. Looking down at his new family, he knew he wouldn’t have it any other way. Laying there, listening to the quiet breaths of the two sleeping next to him, he felt so at peace. It all felt like home. He leaned back and sighed with contentment before finally drifting into sleep himself.


End file.
